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Gonorrhea Testing and Information

Dear STD Advice,
Where can people get information, testing, and treatments for Gonorrhea? ~ Gonorrhea Inquiry

Dear Gonorrhea Inquiry,
Testing for any STD is widely available. You can be tested for an STD at most physician offices, health departments, and specialized STD centers. Simply call them in advance and tell them you'd like to schedule an STD test. If you would like a specific recommendation and more information, then call the toll-free, safe, and confidential National STD Hotline at 800-227-8922.

You can also visit our Gonorrhea information section by clicking here.

In addition, it's important to know what can happen if Gonorrhea goes untreated. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases:

"In untreated gonorrhea infections, the bacteria can spread up into the reproductive tract, or more rarely, can spread through the blood stream and infect the joints, heart valves, or the brain.
The most common result of untreated gonorrhea is PID, a serious infection of the female reproductive tract. Gonococcal PID often appears immediately after the menstrual period. PID causes scar tissue to form in the fallopian tubes. If the tube is partially scarred, the fertilized egg may not be able to pass into the uterus. If this happens, the embryo may implant in the tube causing a tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. This serious complication may result in a miscarriage and can cause death of the mother.

Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can spread through the blood to the joints. This can cause an inflammation of the joints which is very serious.

If you are infected with gonorrhea, your risk of getting HIV infection increases (HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, causes AIDS). Therefore, it is extremely important for you to either prevent yourself from getting gonorrhea or get treated early if you already are infected with it."

Remember, Gonorrhea is curable, but you do need to visit a physician, health center, or STD clinic to get tested and prescribed a treatment.

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Only a physician can properly diagnose whether or not you have an STD. Thus it is important that you get an STD test done if you have a concern. None of the advice given in this column is a substitute for physician advice.

If you think you may have a sexually transmitted disease, you should see a physician immediately to be properly diagnosed and treated. You should not try to diagnose or treat symptoms on your own.

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